The 10 best River Ridge & Harahan restaurants?

We're going through the different parts of Metro New Orleans, giving our top ten restaurants in each. Last, it was Gentilly's top ten restaurants. Today, we look at the geographic origin of the Gentilly Ridge: River Ridge and Harahan. Born of split in the Mississippi River channel thousands of years ago that stretched from River Ridge through Old Metairie through Gentilly through New Orleans East to a water dump into the Lake Borgne region, River Ridge and Harahan were undeveloped plantation lands even into the 20th century. Only in the 1930s after it served as a camp grounds for the military and location of the Huey P Long bridge did the area see residential development. Today, River Ridge is as close to a rural town one gets in the NOLA Metro. Harahan also has that feel, but the town has a great deal of industry. Indeed, when Jefferson Parish was trying to entice New Orleans residents to its cheap land, the parish leaders advertised this area as "the Brooklyn of the South."

Top Ten Restaurants by NOLA Metro neighborhood:
Kenner
Metairie
Lakeview
Gentilly

As with all lists, you are invited, even encouraged to formulate your own list and critique this list.


10) New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood - This restaurant traditionally gets a lot of hate from elitist New Orleanians, but its recent opening in the heart of their territory has blunted that criticism. Why? Because they finally tried it and found that the restaurant actually serves good fried seafood and the burgers are decent.

9) Kim Anh's - Definitely not my favorite Vietnamese, or even top five, but Kim Anh's consistently makes consistently good food. Its high reputation is probably a function of it being the only Vietnamese restaurant for 20 minutes in any direction. Those who strike gold first become rich first.

8) Smilie's - It may raise a few eyebrows because it may just well be the most geriatric restaurant in the entire Metro. Maybe my palate is geriatric because I've yet not to like a main course there. Is it great? No. But your mom's food probably isn't great, but it doesn't stop you from liking it. Smilie's is like eating at your mom's.

7) GG's Overstuffed Po-Boys - GG's isn't truly overstuffed. But it's still a top 25 poboy in the Metro.

6) Dockside - There is a section of Harahan near Dockside that has one of the highest concentrated good po-boy retailers in the Metro (holla at Seither's, Seymour's, Shimmy Shack, and Danny & Clyde's.). Dockside anchors that enclave. I remember getting fried softshell po-boys here as a kid for $4 or 5. Not sure if it was Dockside then, but Dockside is just as good.

5) Hillbilly Bar BQ - The best Bar BQ in the entire Metro. Some erroneously say it's The Joint, but they only say that to give them a reason to go down to a neighborhood they rarely see. Hillybilly is vastly superior. Vastly.

4) Seither's Seafood - It's definitely the case that Harahan's best food is fried seafood. As you drive down old Hickory, one could imagine driving down the side streets in Bucktown. Seither's is probably the most consistent of this type of Harahan restaurant, but don't count out Seymour's. The eggplant Harahan is semi-famous, but the real champion is the fried seafood.

3) Charlie's Seafood - When I said I preferred this restaurant before Mr. Brigtsen took it over, not a single person here agreed with me. While I stand by my statement, it's hard to argue that Charlie's isn't a quality restaurant. The only dish I've gotten at the new incarnation of Charlie's is the catfish with grits. It was not my favorite dish, but my dining partner shared with me her grilled fish. Excellent.

2) Bobby's Seafood - New Orleans is home to an abundance of the best po-boy shops in the world. There are so many that often forgotten are those at the fringes of town. Bobby's is often forgotten, but it should not be. They serve a top five shrimp po-boy. All of their seafood po-boys would make a city-wide top ten list, or should. It's well worth your time to sit at one of the few seating spots while you munch on Bobby's fried seafood.

1) Copeland's - I consider this the flagship of all Copeland's. It is sad how the Copeland's empire crumbled and continues on that direction with no signs of reversing. However, this Copeland's still serves a delicious meal. I went last week, thanks to the user who told us about the 28th anniversary specials. The blackened drum, potato casserole, and creamed spinach for $7.99 has me singing this place's praises once more. It is as good as it ever was and the biscuits are as good as the original Popeye's biscuits, not those circular discs that leave a film in your throat they serve now.